Not telling your “friends” about the event.

Now bear with me, you might be thinking, huh friends? I always tell my friends when I am about to have an event. Heck! they are the first people I get to help me out. You may have noticed I put “friends” in quotes, because that is the key. You have to reach out to those “friends.”

Who I am talking about is your facebook friends you haven’t spoken to in a few years. Or that buddy you met five summers ago who happened to be part of your marathon group so you had to add him. Those are the friends you should be telling, about your event.

Reaching out to your friends doesn’t have to be an awkward thing, most people want a reason to reconnect with you and want to know about the cool things you are doing in life. Events are cool. More specifically, your event is cool!

Write a chat message and personalize it. If you can ask them a question about their life or, even better, relate the event to them (If they like boats, tell them it’s a boating event and you knew they loved boats). But the key is to ask them to check out the event, don’t ask them to buy tickets or participate. When you ask someone to support you buy buying, it’s a much tougher ask them to ask them to give their opinion or look at something.

Here’s an example of what you might write:

Hey John!

It’s been awhile, I hope you are doing well! Are you still attending boat shows? I was reaching out because for the last 3 months I have been planning a beer and boat event and I remember going to my first boat show with you. If you get the chance please check out the invitation, do you think this appeals to boat owners?

I like to use Facebook chat to open a dialogue, it is casual but also personal. At the end of the day, keep it short and simple. You might be pleasantly surprised at how many helpful friends you still have!

As an event planner, I am sure that you are in a whirlwind of locations and understandably have a large crew that you must bring everywhere to staff your successful events. As we all know, taking airplanes and booking hotels must add up to a large business cost.

My belief is that it is easiest way to save money is to hire your staff locally.

1. Save Money

Hiring locally enables you to leave your office staff at home. You save money on numerous expenses, may it be airplane tickets, hotel costs and overtime pay. You will not only pay less, but be able to get fresh staff, who will promote and easily become word of mouth advertising for you, just for hiring them.

2. Save Time

Tired of booking airplane tickets? Tired of coordinating schedules? Hire workers that work to your schedule. Save time trying to figure out who will work what shift, instead fit people into your schedule. Easy on your brain, easy on the wallet. What a great deal!

3. Better Equipped Staff

You will have staff who know the area well and will be able to out with anything that you may need that pertains to the surrounding area. Being knowledgeable allows for your staff to provide the best customer service possible. It could become a nice surprise for the customer!

4. Smooth Flow of Work

A well rested helper means an easier transition at work. They will be attentive and be able to follow directions at a quicker rate, therefore allowing your event to run smoothly!

5. Attentive and Energetic Guaranteed

No travel time, means no tired workers! You have workers who will only need to make a short commute to their job. This will allow you to have the most attentive staff you’ll ever get. Everyone will be well-rested and ultimately create a better customer service atmosphere for you and your clients.

Hiring locally will save you time, money, and give you great results! Try it out, because you will definitely not regret it.

Event setup and takedown...sounds pretty self-explanatory, right? But just to make sure you’re extra prepared, we have a few tips about the work involved and how to excel at it.

Set-Up

Setting up an event may involve loading and unloading items, setting up tables and booths, and moving around other items. Some jobs may have a floor-plan; ask for instructions but do the best of your abilities. This job requires an ability to closely follow instructions, attention to detail, and to a certain extent, speed and efficiency—setup time is limited, after all.

Takedown

Takedown, as you may have guessed, involves very similar tasks, but with an additional element: cleanup. A good rule of thumb is to leave the venue cleaner than it was prior to the event.

Attire

Plan to dress comfortably and casually, but presentably. While this is not an office job, it’s important that your clothing doesn’t send a bad first impression to your employers.

Timing

Most setup and takedown gigs last from one to three hours. If you finish sooner then expected, ask the event lead what else needs to get done! Most of the time they will let you leave early if everything is done!

Pro-tip

Though this job mainly requires following instructions, your supervisor may not always be at hand to walk you through your next step. When you finish up your instructed tasks, take initiative and help out where you can.

And, like any other task in life, a good dose of enthusiasm goes a long way. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun! (Plus, you’ll score major points with your employer. Win-win.)

Every race needs personnel to help set up, clean up, and direct runners along the route. And that’s where you, Race Helper, come in. Not sure what to expect? Fear not! This quick guide has you covered—you’ll be on your way to ace that race gig in no time.

Job Duties

As a race helper, your job may involve any of the following:

set up/clean up

aid station help (handing out food, beverages, and providing first aid supplies as needed)

directing runners along the race route

cheering on runners

redirecting vehicle traffic

answering questions from runners and community members

Length

The job typically lasts two to five hours, depending on the length and location of the race. There may not always be extensive instruction, and you might need to think quick on your feet in some situations. But as long as you’re alert, willing to take initiative, and unafraid to ask questions, you’ll be a superb race helper.

Preparation

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as the job may involve a lot of standing or walking, sometimes in wooded areas. And, as we know all too well in a place like Seattle, remember to check the weather and dress accordingly! The race goes on, rain or shine.

Protip

Last but not least, be sure to bring a positive attitude, eagerness to help, and some motivational energy (especially on those early morning runs) to cheer for runners on their way to the finish line. This way, you’ll leave a glowing impression on your employers as well as the race participants, and everyone has a great time. High fives all around.

Companies big and small hire brand ambassadors to spread a positive image of their brand and widen their customer base. With Minyawns, brand ambassador gigs are generally more short-term, spanning from several hours to multiple days.

Qualities of a great brand ambassador

Outgoing: While you needn’t be the most extroverted person to do this job well, the nature of the gig requires a lot of interaction with potential customers. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, though—a relaxed, friendly demeanor will get the best reception!

Self-motivated: This type of job does not involve a lot of instruction, so ambassadors need to set their own plan of action and continuously make spur-of-the moment decisions.

Professional: Remember that you are representing the company in a very direct way, so act and dress professionally to leave a good impression. (Dress varies by company; it could be business casual, or the company may provide you with a shirt.)

Optimism: While you probably won’t convert every potential customer into an actual customer, don’t let this deter you from talking to as many people as you can. You never know until you try, right? When rejection does happen, though, remember that it’s not personal. Brush it off and soldier on!

Preparation is key

Before the event, make sure to do a little bit of research on the company you’re representing. The more you know about it, the better! The company may also provide you with materials to review before you hit the ground running.

Perks of the Job

In addition to whatever compensation you’ll get for your hard work, being a brand ambassador can be great learning and career experience. It ties together elements of leadership, salesmanship, and marketing, which can be extremely valuable going down the road. So if you’re thinking about trying this out...go for it!